Indian Cookery
Courses - Learn Indian Cooking
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Indo Vacations organize cooking classes for our individual and foreign guests. There is a minimum six day course
which can be taken individually as well as in a group if you intend to bring some more people with you.
During these classes your will be taught to cook different Indian dishes with the appropriate use of typical Indian spices and how they are used normally in an Indian Kitchen. You will be having a
female Professional Indian cook
who has many years of cooking experience. Indian Cookery Classes will take place at her private cooking school. Please
have a look at some of the pictures of our cooking
school !
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During the classes we recommend you to stay with an Indian family to experience the real Indian culture and way of living. We can offer you the accommodation with an Indian family for USD 245
- 350 per person per week (private room in excellent condition in good location with green surrounding with private bath and WC, cold and hot water, all three meals
(veg.), Laundry, use of Internet etc.) Here are some of the pictures of the House where we offer the accommodation if wished so. The Classes will cost you per week (5-6 days) USD
445 per person
under the supervision of an expert native cook. Currently we are offering Indian cookery classes in
Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan (270 kms from
Delhi). Should you be interested we recommend you to make the bookings well in advance to avoid the accommodation problem. You may
also have a look at the
references
from many different countries.
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Indian Food has been rated by most of the cultures as
one of the best food available. Especially for
vegetarians the travel to India is half worth to enjoy
the India food only with its rich varieties. Indian
restaurants have been flourishing in the capitals of the
world and thus, Indian cuisine is no longer a mystery.
In UK, Indian curry is the third most popular dish among
the Britishers. Among the Japanese, the curry rice is
relished quite a lot and it is the second most popular
dish according to a recent survey. UK has more than 1000
Indian restaurants and USA, Canada and Japan have over
100 restaurants each. India
attracts over 3 million foreign visitors every year for an average stay of
one month.
The Indian Cuisine is also gaining more popularity due to the rich taste, exotic flavor and healthy preparation. Indian cuisine has a very
good taste which is designed not only to satisfy the taste buds but also the human psychology. The Indian cuisine is easy to prepare, tasty and can be prepared in less time.
Spices are the main part of the Indian cooking and their quantity and proportion varies with the geographical boundaries. Spices are freshly grounded and added in many different combinations. Some of the spices which are commonly used are coriander, turmeric, cumin,
chilies, fennel, and fenugreek. Other spices which are added for some fragrance are cardamom, clove, cinnamon and star aniseed.
There are various techniques of Indian cooking. Some of these techniques are Baghar or Tadka (Instant seasoning or Tempering), Balchao (Pickling), Bhunao (Curry), Dhuanaar (Smoke Seasoning), Dum (Steaming),
Handi, Kadhai, Talna (Frying), Tandoori and Tawa.
Tandoori cooking is a north Indian specialty and famous all over the world. Tandoori chicken,
Naan, Tandoori Roti, Tandoori Kebabs are some of the famous Tandoori dishes.
The Indian cuisine can be divided into two main cuisines, North Indian and South Indian Cuisine.
A typical North Indian meal consists of Chappatis, parantha or pooris (unleavened flat breads),
dals, curries that are mild and made in ghee, vegetables seasoned with yogurt or pomegranate powder, green vegetables like spinach and green mustard cooked with
paneer, north Indian pickles, fresh tomato, mint, cilantro chutneys and yogurt
raitas. North Indian desserts and sweets are made of milk,
paneer, lentil flour and wheat flour combined with dried nuts and garnished with a thin sheet of pure silver. Nimbu Pani (lemon drink), Lassi (iced buttermilk) are popular drinks of the North. Hot
and sweet cardamom milk is very common before going to bed.
North Indian Cuisine can be further divided into different categories according to states and tastes. These categories are Kashmiri, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Garhwal, Pahari, Uttar Pradesh, Awadh and Lucknow.
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Medicinal value of Indian Spices |
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It is quite interesting to note that most of the Indian spices have a medicinal value. The most commonly
used spices and herbs in Indian cooking are asafoetida, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, coriander, garlic,
ginger, turmeric and aniseed. Turmeric, Ginger and Cardamom are the most commonly used
herbs as they have digestive properties. Turmeric gives the dish a pleasant yellow natural colour and helps to preserve the
food. Coriander seeds are supposed to have a cooling effect on the body of a person. Saffron, the most
expensive spice, creates a nice flavour and fragrance with just a little quantity.
Mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, poppy and caraway seeds are some other spices used in Indian dishes. In India, Masala is
commonly used which is a blend of various spices and it is either in a dry or a liquid paste. Garam Masala
is a blend of fragrant spices which include cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, mace, coriander seeds,
nutmeg, and black pepper. It can stored and kept for future use. Nowadays, Garam Masalas are
conveniently available in packets in any grocery.
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Indian dishes known as curries |
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Indian cuisine has a
lot of variety to offer. Indian food can be broadly divided into
four different regions corresponding to Delhi for the North,
Bombay for the West, Madras for the South and Calcutta for the
East. Many varieties of curry-dishes are made in different parts
of India, each of which has its own distinct flavour. For the
Indians, curry encompasses a whole class of dishes. There are
numerous curries which are prepared with meat, fish, chicken,
vegetables and on occasions, fruits. The only common factor in
all the curries is that they all contain freshly ground spices,
including turmeric, and have a ‘gravy’. The Cooking medium is is
pure ghee (clarified butter). Other vegetable fats are now more
commonly used as the cooking medium.
Besides the preparation, its presentation of food is also
important to Indians. Traditionally, Indian food is served
either on a well washed large banana leaf or in a thali which is
a large plate made of brass, steel or silver. Porcelain plates
are also used commonly by Indian people. On the thali, several
katoris (little bowls) are placed to hold small helpings of each
dish. A typical meal may consist of a meat or fish dish, two
vegetable dishes, dal, yoghurt and a sweet dish of kheer or
halwa, pickles, chutneys, papads, etc.
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Indian Breads (Roti
- Nan - Parantha - Puri) |
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India offers a vast
variety of breads. Unlike in the West, these breads are the main
food in the Indian meals. Chappatis and nans are
cooked in an oven or tandoor. Thin and small chappatis are made on an iron griddle placed on gas or fire. The
most common bread is the chappati.
Basically, the chappati is just flour and water dough rolled
very thin and cooked like a pancake on slow heat. These are hot
and fresh. Some breads like puris are fried in deep fat and paranthas are
pan fried with a little fat, preferably ghee. These are quite soft and delicious. Indians
also make paranthas stuffed with potatoes or other vegetables
which are complete meals and are eaten along with plain
yoghurt and pickle. Puris are made
from the same basic dough rolled out thin and round with a wooden
roller and deep-friend in clarified butter or vegetable fat. |
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Bread is more
commonly eaten than rice. The omnipresent chappati is
the common man’s dish. Nan is kind of a luxury and is
preferred eaten with tandoori food. Another variety of
rich bread
is parantha which is prepared of wheat flour and is
relished by almost everyone. Since most of the Indian
restaurants abroad serve Tandoori food, the foreigners
are more familiar with it. Tandoori
chicken or mutton is a barbecued food which is spiced
and marinated in yoghurt. Tandoori chicken with a
nan, green salad and a dessert is a dish which the
tourists cannot resist. Tandoori
food is not very spicy and is very similar to western
cooking. In Delhi, many varieties of
meat kababs are available like the Boti Kabab, Reshmi Kabab,
Pasinda Kabab. The
other delicacies of the Northern Indian
cuisine are biryani which is a dish made
of rice, saffron and marinated lamb or chicken. Pulao is a slightly less
complicated version of biryani. There
is another exciting version – sweet
pulao made with rice, coconut, almonds,
mangoes and papayas.
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Besides tandoori food, the other choices
available are Rogan
Josh, lamb curry, Kofta, Korma or Do-Piaza.
Do Piaza is made with lots of onions,
Korma is particularly rich and Koftas are
curry along with small balls of meat. The
large Koftas have a stuffing of boiled eggs. North Indian meal
is also accompanied with dal
(lentil soup). For the vegetarian lovers,
this cuisine offers several dishes like Panner, Sag
Paneer (cheese with spinach), Bharta, a
delicious vegetable made from egg plant
and several other dishes combining
cauliflower, potatoes and other similar
vegetables. The dessert mainly includes kheer, firni
(pudding) or halwa. Since Kashmiri food has also been
influenced by Mughlai food, so there are many
varieties of meat dishes especially lamb dishes,
and is spicier as compared to other typical
North Indian dishes.
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The most famous form of the Kashmiri cuisine is Wazwan. Wazwan is the traditional 24-course banquet with many ways of cooking and varieties of meat - some in curry, some dry, and of various sizes. These are carefully cooked by the master chef, Vasta
Waza, and his retinue of wazas. The meal is served on a large metal plate called the
trami. The rice is served in a mound in the center. There is an earthen pot which is filled with freshly made yogurt and chutney. The meal began with a ritual washing of hands at a basin called the
tash-t-nari, which is taken around by attendants. Seven dishes are a must for these occasions which are
Rista, Rogan Josh, Tabak Maaz, Daniwal Korma, Aab Gosht, Marchwangan Korma and
Gushtaba.
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The most famous dish of Punjab is the Sarson ka saag, which originated from Punjab. This dish of green mustard is simmered and slow cooked over coals along with
rajma, kali dal or lentils. This dish is served with unleavened bread of cornmeal or wheat and a dollop of butter or with steamed basmati rice.
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The major ingredient of the Rajasthani or Marwari dishes is the Gram flour or
Besan. The gram flour is used to make some of the delicacies like
Khata, Gatte Ki Sabzi and Pakodi. Powdered lentils are used for Mangodi and
Papad. Bajra and corn are used all over the state in the preparation of
Rabdi, Khichdi and Rotis. Some of the famous sweets and desserts of Rajasthan are
Laddoos, Malpuas, Jalebies, Rasgullas, Mishri Mawa, Mawa Kachori, Sohan Halwa and Mawa or milk cake.
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Most families in Uttar Pradesh eat vegetarian food. The most famous sweets which are found in the cities of Uttar Pradesh are
jalebies, sweetmeats, variety of 'kachoris' and pethas.
The Awadh style of cooking is famous all over the world for its tender meat dishes and excellent sweets.
Lucknow is known all over the India for its biryanis and different meat preparations. Nihari and
naan, a mutton dish served for breakfast is one of the dishes
that should be tasted to be believed.
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In
Bengal, food is quite plain and rice is the staple diet. Most, Bengalis
prefer fresh water fish and fortunately there is an abundance of it in many
homes in rural Bengal which have their own fish ponds. Mustard seeds and
mustard oil are generally used as the cooking medium for the various
fish dishes. Bekdi, a special fish of Bengal, specially lends itself to
Western style of cooking. If Bengali’s first love is fish, then the second
is sweets. Special and typical sweet that come from Bengal are Misti Doi
which is the sweetened yoghurt, Sandesh and Rasgullas, made in different
ways from cottage cheese. Bengali cuisine is unique in India where
plain yoghurt is missing in its menu. Traditionally, no sweets are made at
home and are always bought from the confectioner.
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South Indians
eat a lot of rice and their curry is as rich as in North
India, but it is spicier. Their vegetarian food provides a
lot of variety, especially the Brahmin food which is
different from the non-Brahmin food. Tamarind, chillies and
coconut is grown in abundance in the south. A typical meal
in the South consists of sambhar, rasam (a
thin lentil soup), some vegetable preparations
which are often cooked with grated coconut and
yoghurt and eaten with boiled rice. Sambhar, the staple dish of South Indians, is made with a
combination of arhar, yellow lentil, tamarind, spices and
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However,
the most popular dishes are dosas and idlis
whose popularity spreads throughout the
country. These dishes are served with Sambhar
and coconut chutney. Dosas are fried pancakes, whereas
idlis are more like teamed dumplings and are made with a mixture of ground
fermented rice. |
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Food Culture in West India
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The food
available in Mumbai varies from the food in the rest of the
country. This is perhaps due to the presence of small but
influential communities of Parsis, Sindhis,
Goans and Khoja Muslims. A few years ago, Goa was
occupied by the Portuguese and hence the Portuguese
influence is
present in its cuisine. One of
Goa’s best known dishes is Vindaloo, chicken pork or fish
cooked with spices and vinegar. Unlike other Indians, Goans
eat a lot of pork. The fresh sausages and seafood have a
special taste. The Boras and the Khojas also have their own
style of cooking. The Sindhis, prepare a different cuisine
which is more often meat-based. The majority of
Maharashtrians and Gujaratis, the original natives of this
region, are vegetarians. They
have mastered the art of vegetarian cooking.
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India is a country
of sweets and each region of India has its own specialties. Most
Indian sweets are made by boiling down milk to remove the
moisture. It is called khoa. When butter, sugar and many other
flavours are added, then these take the form of barfi, malai,
kheer, rasgulla, gulabjamun and sandesh. The various regional
recipes have different forms of rice puddings, milk puddings,
vegetable and fruits dipped in sweet syrup etc. Combinations of
all these offer hundreds of varieties of sweet dishes. These
desserts can be decorated with raisins, almonds, and pistachio
etc.
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Paan is generally eaten by people after having their food. Paan
is a betel leaf wrapped around a variety of ingredients. Every
paan-seller has his special recipe to make. There are as
numerous styles of preparing paan in India. The paan made
of betel leaf is the most popular and has some digestive
properties.
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For any further more information on the different Indian
cuisines, please contact us and join the
special Indian Cookery courses
of Indo Vacations.
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